Multan—The
coalition government would make Parliament
supreme through necessary constitutional
amendments, said Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza
Gilani at Jahanian on Sunday. Addressing a large
public meeting in connection with the
by-elections in constituency PP-219 he said as a
result of the envisaged amendments the state
institutions would be strengthened and judiciary
and media would become independent. He said the
party would realise the vision of PPP’s
founder-chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for “Roti,
Kapra aur Makaan” (food, clothing and shelter)
to every citizen. The Prime Minister said that
PPP government would fulfil Benazir Bhutto’s
noble mission to empower the oppressed,
destitute, labourers, peasants and youth of the
country and for the very cause she laid down her
life and became martyr. He said the PPP would
revive the “Awami Raaj” (people’s rule) with the
help of the masses’ power. He said requisite
amendments would be incorporated in the
Constitution for this purpose.
Kabul—NATO launched a pair of
artillery strikes across the border into
Pakistan after attackers hiding there fired a
barrage of rockets into Afghanistan that killed
three children, officials said Sunday, reports
AP. The cross-border fighting could heighten
diplomatic tension over Pakistan’s inability to
stop militants from operating from its territory
— and whether forces in Afghanistan have the
right to strike back. NATO said five rockets
were fired at one of its bases in Khost province
overnight. At least one hit a house in Kunday, a
small village that sits between two military
bases, killing the three children. Another hit a
NATO base, wounding an Afghan man, the alliance
said.
Islamabad—The National Assembly on Sunday passed
the federal budget for the financial year
2008-09, with a total outlay of Rs. 2010
billion. The opposition parties abstained from
discussion on the money bill. As the Finance
Minister Syed Naveed Qamar introduced the bill
to the House, there was no general debate on the
bill from the opposition side in first reading,
no amendments in second reading and no
discussion during the third reading of the Bill.
The proceedings culminated smoothly with the
passage of the Bill despite the reservations
expressed by MNAs Dr Attiya Inayatullah, Shahnaz
Sheikh, Riaz Hussain Pirzada and a treasury
member Ayaz.
Seoul—North Korea has invited five media
organisations from foreign countries to cover
live the blowing-up of a cooling tower at its
main nuclear site, officials said Sunday. The
invited organisations — one each from North
Korea’s five negotiating partners at six-party
disarmament talks — include US news channel CNN,
Seoul’s top nuclear envoy Kim Sook said. The
United Sates, South Korea, China, Japan and
Russia have been in talks with North Korea to
dismantle Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme.
Islamabad—A group of
Christians, allegedly kidnapped by a militant
group in Peshawar last night, were freed
unharmed early Sunday, the Interior Ministry
Advisor said. Militants stormed a house in
Peshawar and kidnapped 17 Christians who were
stated to be engaged in worshipping, police
said. The armed militants came in upto 10
vehicles and took the Christians with them to
the tribal Kheyber agency, the near Afghan
border, the police said. Earlier several
Christian leaders had put the number of the
kidnapped Christians at 31. No group had claimed
responsibility to kidnap the Christians but the
police and Christian leaders had suspected
militants were behind the incident.
Nawabshah—PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari
Sunday said that restoration of judges has
become a political issue. He said that certain
political parties have hijacked the matter of
restoration of judges for their vested interests
and as a result it has turned into a political
issue. Therefore, a decision on this issue will
be taken after careful consideration and
reviewing the legal and constitutional aspects,
he said while addressing a press conference at
Zardari House here Sunday.
Islamabad—Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior
Rehman Malik has said PPP is seeking
investigation into the assassination of Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto by the United Nations and they
will continue their efforts till the murderers
are apprehended and brought to justice. Talking
to media here on Sunday, he said foreign
elements were involved in the assassination of
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. Rehman Malik
said the government’s policies in combating the
menace of terrorism have been bearing fruit.
Consequently, there has been a marked decrease
in the incidence of terrorism.
Geneva—Detained Nuclear Scientist Dr A Q Khan on
Sunday denied that Islamabad or his laboratory
were linked to alleged plans found with Swiss
engineers to make nuclear weapons. He told a
Swiss newspaper that although he knew the
engineer — named by the paper as Urs Tinner —
and his two sons for more than 30 years, the
plans were not connected to his programme.
Manila—Rescuers battled huge waves and strong
winds Sunday to reach a ferry that capsized
during a deadly typhoon in the Philippines a day
earlier, but found no immediate signs of the
more than 740 passengers and crew. Coast guard
frogmen who managed to get to the stricken ship
got no response when they rapped on the hull
with metal instruments, then had to give up for
the night due to the strong waves. “They haven’t
seen anyone. They’re scouring the area. They’re
studying the direction of the waves to determine
where survivors may have drifted,” coast guard
spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Arman Balilo said.
